A GUNMAN opened fire yards from a Birmingham junior school less than an hour before children were due to go home.

A volley of shots rang out near the entrance of Westminster Road Junior School in Stamford Road, Handsworth, yesterday afternoon

It happened when a gunman apparently blasted his weapon indiscriminately towards Churchill Road at 2.30pm.

Miraculously no-one was injured in the incident which police said was not related to terrorism raids less than a mile away in Leonard Road.

The shooting was the fifth in the Handsworth and Lozells area in the past three weeks.

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: "We believe at least one other person is involved in the incident, however we have no evidence that anyone has been injured."

"This is not connected with the incidents in Selly Oak and Handsworth earlier on in the day but we are keeping an open mind.

"The gunman is described as black, aged 18-20 and was wearing a black hat and gloves and grey clothing.

"We are appealing for witnesses after a man was seen firing a hand gun on Stamford Road towards Churchill Road.

"Anyone with any information is urged to call CID at Thornhill Road Police Station on 0845 113 5000."

Police sealed off Stamford Road and neighbouring Putney Road from the afternoon until well into the night, resulting in gridlock in the Handsworth area.

Local resident Delisia Palmer, aged 30, grew up on Stamford Road and is disgusted at the latest incident.

She said: "It is getting worse around here all of the time. my elderly parents live here and to think one of them could have been killed in the crossfire of people shooting it out is very scary.

"What is even more worrying is that the gunfire was so close to home time for the children at Westminster Road School.

"Thank God it was not just a little bit later because the area would have been packed with parents and kids."

The mum-of-one claimed: "The amount of drugs available on the streets and in crack houses is to blame and these kids treating the area like some gangland film does not help either."

Detectives are already investigating a spate of firearms incidents that they blame on a lawless minority possibly involved in tit-for-tat violence.

A man escaped seriously injury after being blasted in the head in a drive-by shooting in Lozells Road, Lozells, a fortnight ago.

Police are also investigating an incident in which a man received a minor gunshot wound to the leg; an incident where a shotgun was fired at a house and also reports of a

a group of people being shot at in the street, although no one was hurt.

Last weekend, scores of extra police including firearms officers were drafted in as part of a high-visibility operation to target the gun-toting thugs.

Launching the operation Chief Supt Paul Scarrott, from Thornhill Road police, said: "The community are saying is that there is some young lads trying to make their mark.

"We want to send out a message saying the violence must stop. This problem revolves around a few. We need to deal with them firmly, and we will. We need to support of the community to help us with that."